Just Asking

This Tuesday marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission published 94 Calls to Action. But nearly a decade later, what progress has been made and what role can each of us play?On this episode of Just Asking, we take your questions about making reconciliation meaningful at our schools, offices and in our communities. Our guests are Rose LeMay, CEO of the Indigenous Reconciliation Group and author of Ally Is a Verb; Riley Yesno, Anishinaabe scholar and distinguished fellow at the Yellowhead Institute; and Brock Pitawanakwat, associate professor of Indigenous Studies at York University.

The suspension of a U.S. late-night host has reignited debate on both sides of the border about where free speech ends and harm begins. In Canada, conversations around book bans, anti-hate laws, campus protests, and online speech are forcing us to ask tough questions: what can you say, and when does it cross the line?On this episode of Just Asking, we take your questions about freedom of expression with Hasan Alam, President of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association and a labour and human rights lawyer, and Ira Wells, President of PEN Canada, Academic Programs Director at Victoria College at the University of Toronto, and author of On Book Banning.

Since the birth control pill was introduced in 1960, contraceptive options have expanded to include the patch, the ring, injections, and IUDs. And this year, some provinces began offering free prescriptions for contraception. But even with more access, there’s still widespread skepticism and misinformation, much of it spreading quickly online. On this episode of Just Asking, we take your questions about the risks and realities of birth control, how to talk about it with partners and young people, and what new options may be on the horizon. Joining us are Dr. Rahima Alani, a family physician whose clinical work includes Planned Parenthood, and Natalya Mason, a registered social worker and sexual health educator.

Canada’s housing crisis has left many people struggling to find affordable places to live, whether renting basement apartments, living with roommates, or waiting years for public housing. The federal government has announced a new agency, Build Canada Homes, with $13 billion set aside to supercharge the construction of affordable units. But will it work, and what other ideas could make housing more accessible?To take your questions on solutions to Canada’s housing shortage, Just Asking was joined by Brian Doucet, Associate Professor in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo, and Randall Bartlett, Deputy Chief Economist at Desjardins.

Back-to-school season can be exciting — but also stressful, especially for families raising neurodivergent kids. Parents may find themselves navigating new routines, advocating for classroom support, and helping their kids manage big emotions. On this episode of Just Asking, we take your questions on raising and supporting neurodivergent children. Joining us are Adelle Purdham, mom to her daughter Elyse who has Down Syndrome and author of 'I Don’t Do Disability And Other Lies I’ve Told Myself', and Dr. Teresa Bennett, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at McMaster Children’s Hospital and researcher at the Offord Centre for Child Studies.

Sanctions have become one of the most commonly used diplomatic tools in the world, whether aimed at Russia over Ukraine, Iran’s nuclear program, or individuals linked to extremist violence in the Middle East. But what exactly are sanctions, how effective are they at changing behaviour, and what are the humanitarian costs when they go too far? To take your questions on how sanctions work and what they mean for Canada’s foreign policy, Just Asking was joined by John Packer, an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Ottawa who specializes in international human rights law and conflicts, and Andrea Charron, Professor of International Relations and Director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at the University of Manitoba.

Former astronaut Chris Hadfield will be releasing his novel Final Orbit, set against the backdrop of the 1970s Space Race. As NASA prepares for its second year-long Mars simulation mission, Hadfield will explore what it will take for NASA to get humans to Mars by 2030, how astronauts are preparing, and what we can expect from the next phase of space exploration. Chris Hadfield joins Just Asking to answer all your space questions!

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre called on the federal government to scrap the temporary foreign worker program, and create a separate immigration stream for farm workers under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program. Poilievre claims the TFW program has made it harder for young people to find work, but economists are pushing back on that assessment. So what are the facts about the TFW program and what kinds of reforms should be looked at? Just Asking was joined by Armine Yalnizyan, an economist and the Atkinson Fellow on the Future of Workers, and Amanda Aziz, a staff lawyer at the Migrant Workers Centre in B.C.

How do you know when your family relationships are fixable or when it's time to set boundaries? Clinical psychologist Heather MacIntosh and writer Gabrielle Moss answer your questions.

What are the economic and political risks at stake when it comes to Canada's trade with China, and how should our leaders approach it? Co-Director of the China Strategic Risks Institute Margaret McCuaig-Johnston and director of StrategyCorp's Geopolitical and International Business Advisory Jeff Mahon answer your questions.